Canal Place Unzipped
The Shops at Canal Place
New Orleans
Two years ago Canal Place began a program of capital improvements to
significantly reposition the mixed-use center. A new name, The Shops at
Canal Place, focused on the center's unique stores. A series of
architectural enhancements gave a new look to the front entrance on Canal
Street, to the facade facing the French Quarter and to the entrance for a
remodeled Brooks Brothers. New lighting, carpet, ceilings, seating and
signage all upgraded the interior.
Another critical component was remerchandising. Each existing store was
reevaluated for location, size, sales per square foot, decor and the
like, which resulted in major relocating, right-sizing and remodeling.
Longtime upscale tenants, including Saks, Ann Taylor and Laura Ashley,
expanded and renovated their stores.
Yet after this extensive repositioning, the center was only 75% leased,
and several key locations remained vacant. The Shops at Canal Place
needed to communicate clearly with existing and prospective retailers to
demonstrate the center's progress, the owner's commitment, the new
vibrancy and the finely honed demographic presentation.
OBJECTIVES
1. To create a leasing brochure that would stimulate interest
in The Shops at Canal Place and be noticed by key prospects.
2. To reflect the positive changes at the center.
3. To highlight the retailers who committed to the center's
remerchandising.
4. To dispel misconceptions about New Orleans' demographics.
5. To stimulate appointments at the Spring Convention, visits to the
center by real estate decision makers and decisons by tenants still
considering the site.
IMPLEMENTATION
The new leasing brochure would highlight the center's architectural
enhancements; retailer upgrades; upscale marketing, including advertising
and events targeting tourists and locals; and the demographic profile of
its three key markets--local, extended (within 200 miles) and visitor.
A research firm was contracted to gather up-to-date demographic
information. It found such positive statistics as a New Orleans' median
household income of nearly $31,000--higher than Atlanta's.
One section of the brochure would be devoted to maps and plans,
emphasizing the high-income neighborhoods, tourist destinations and
nearby hotels. A site map of the center would be personalized for each
tenant prospect.
Creatively, the team chose a unique zipper closure for the brochure,
which was headlined "Canal Place Unzipped," an homage to the fashion
industry and a reference to the recent documentary on designer Isaac
Mizrahi. With an easy-to-view spiral binding, the brochure could be used
as a flip chart at meetings.
Five hundred brochures were printed and sent to the center's targeted
list of existing and potential upscale retailers. After a follow-up call,
each decision maker would receive a logoed golf shirt with a customized
zipper neckline.
RESULTS
Most people who received the brochure responded immediately, before the
follow-up call. Two retailers signed 10-year lease agreements for new
store locations after seeing the brochure, at a combined value of $2.5
million.
The leasing brochure inspired three requests for mall tours and 15 new
appointments at the Spring Convention.
CREDIT
Owned by: Travelers Realty Investment
Managed by: Hines
Professional recognition to: Lisa Marse, CMD, director of
marketing; George Lancaster, SCSM, SCMD, general manager; Lois Robinson,
SCSM, vice president.
EXPENSES
| Printing | $13,000 |
| Shirts | 1,500 |
| Research | 1,000 |
| Additional materials | 600 |
| Hand assembly | 400 |
| Total | $16,500 |
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